Telephone-hand-set mounting



March 28, 1939. H. F. OBERGFELL TELEPHONE HAND-SET MOUNTING Filed May 26, 1937 HERBERT F. OBERGFELL BY M, W, M m

ATTORNEYS. I

Patented Mar. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TELEPHONE-HAND-SET MOUNTING v Application May 26, 1937, Serial No. 144,827

12 Claims.

The present invention relates to mountings for telephone hand sets and more particularly to a desk mounting specifically adapted for use in supporting the elements of a telephone substation on either side of a desk or table, or on a wall. These elements may conventionally comprise a dial mechanism, a signal device or bell, the usual induction coil and condensers, a telephone hand set of the well-known monophone type, and switching mechanism including a switchhook which forms the supporting element for the hand set.

It is an object of the invention to provide a new and improved mounting for the purpose specified which is of simple construction and is adapted to be mounted in any one of the three positions noted while maintaining conveniently accessible the hand set and the finger wheel of the dial mechanism.

The mounting comprises a housing having an open end, a plate for covering the open end of the housing and a pedestal adapted to be mounted on the cover plate and upon which the dial mechanism is supported. The signal device, induction coil, condensers, and switching apparatus are all supported within the housing on a member extending longitudinally thereof and secured to the cover plate and the bottom of the housing. The switchhook extends through a side of the housing and is arranged to extend outward from the front of a desk upon which the mounting is supported. Means are provided such that either one of three sides of the housing may be secured to a supporting structure.

As pointed out more specifically hereinafter, the elements of the mounting are so arranged that the mounting may be mounted at either end of a desk, for example, and, irrespective of the end of the desk upon which the mounting is sup-ported, the finger wheel of the dial mechanism faces toward the position a person sitting at the desk would normally occupy. In accordance with one feature of the invention, no relative movement between the housing and the dial supporting pedestal is necessary to adapt the mounting for support at either end of the desk, the required change in position of the finger wheel being obtained by rotating the housing through substantially a right angle about its longitudinal axis. In order that such rotation may be accomplished without changing the direction in which the switchhook extends, means are provided whereby the supporting member may be supported in either of two positions within the housing. To adapt the mounting for support from a wall, the dial mechanism supporting pedestal is so arranged that it may be mounted in either of two positions on the cover plate. In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the cover plate for closing the open end of the housing is so arranged relative to the housing that, when secured thereto, concealed apertures are provided for the ready transmission of sound from the signal device exteriorly of the housing.

The novel features believed to be characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 illustrates, partially in section, a mounting for a telephone hand set constructed in accordance with the present invention; Figs. 2 to 5, inclusive, illustrate certain details of the mounting shown in Fig. 1; and Figs. 6, 7 and 8 illustrate three alternative methods of supporting the mounting.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawing, there is shown a telephone hand set mounting constructed in accordance with the present invention which comprises a housing It], preferably of square cross section, having an open upper end adapted to be closed by a cover plate ll. Supported within and enclosed by the housing iii are certain elements of the telephone substation; these elements comprising an audible signal device in the form of a bell l2, switching mechanism l3 comprising a hook switch, an induction coil l4 and condensers, one of which is shown at 15. All of these elements are mounted in any suitable manner on a supporting member [6, which is adapted to be mounted within the housing It, in either of two positions in the manner described more particularly hereinafter. The operating member for the switching mechanism l3 comprises a switchhook ll, pivotally mounted at l8 on a lug l9 extending from the side of the supporting member Hi. This switchhook is adapted to extend outside the housing through a slot 20 provided in the left side of the housing and conventionally comprises the means for supporting a telephone hand set of the monophone type indicated schematically at 2|. It has at its enclosed end a finger 22 for making and breaking contact between the associated springs of the spring assembly 23, included in the switching mechanism. A stop 24 extending from the lug l9 serves to limit the movement of the switchhook I1 when the hand set 2| is removed from the cradle of the hook. The individual contact springs making up the assembly 23 are insulated from each other and from the finger 22 in the manner illustrated. It will be understood that the number of springs included in the spring assembly 23 and their circuit arrangement will obviously depend upon the type of substation circuit in which the elements of the substation are embodied. Since the form of this circuit constitutes no part of the present invention, a disclosure thereof has been omitted.

The dial mechanism assembly indicated generally at 25 is mounted on the cover plate II by means comprising a pedestal 26. It will be understood that the assembly 25 conventionally comprises a finger wheel 21 and impulsing springs, not shown, enclosed within a casing 28. More specifically, the elements of this'mechanism may be as shown and described in the book by Kempster B. Miller, entitled Telephone Theory and Practice, Automatic Switching and Auxiliary Equipment, published in 1933' by the McGraw- Hill Book Company, Inc. As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the pedestal 26 is provided with a cup shaped opening 29 for accommodating the casing 28 of the dial mechanism 25 and a radially inwardly extending projection 30 which, in combination with a bracket 3| secured to the casing 28 and a screw 32, comprises means for securing the mechanism 25 to the pedestal. In order properly to position the dial mechanism within the opening 29, guide members 33 and 34, in the form of ridges integral with the inner wall of the pedestal, are provided for engaging the sides of the bracket 3| as the mechanism 25 is inserted into the opening 29 during assembly of the mounting. These ridges together with other similar ridges, one of which is shown at 35, form stops for determining the position of the mechanism 25 within the opening 29. For the purpose of mounting the supporting member iii in either of two positions within the housing I0, there are provided two sets of lugs indicated at 36 and 31, respectively, each consisting of two lugs. These lugs are preferably integral with and extend downward from the plate II and each is drilled and tapped to accommodate a screw extending through an opening in the member IS. The pedestal 26 is mounted on the plate II by means comprising two screws 38 and 39 extending through the plate and threaded into tapped drill holes in the base of the pedestal. As shown in Fig. 3, two sets of these holes, indicated at 40 and 4|, are provided so that the pedestal may be mounted in either of two positions, displaced by forty-five degrees, on the plate I I. This displacement is required to adapt the mounting for convenient use when supported on a wall.

In assembling the parts of the mounting, the dial mechanism is first secured to the pedestal 26 within the opening 29 and then the pedestal is secured to the cover plate I I. Following this the supporting member I6, with the various circuit elements and the bell I2 mounted thereon, is mounted on the proper pair of lugs 36 or 31. Thereafter the supporting member I6 together with the elements carried thereby is slipped into the housing II] with the switchhook extending outside through the slot 20. When the corner projections, referred to specifically hereinafter, of the plate II engage the corners of the housing I0, the plate II is clamped in position by means comprising a screw 42, extending through an opening in the bottom of the housing I0 and conveniently located for ready use.

threaded into an offset portion 43 of the supporting member I6. A metallic washer 44 enclosing the shank of the screw 42 and located between the offset portion 43 and the bottom of the housing II] permits the plate II to be tightly clamped in position to provide a rigid assembly.

As noted above and shown more particularly in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, the elements of the mounting are so arranged that the housing I0 may be mounted in any one of three positions, while maintaining the finger wheel and the hand set Thus, in Fig. 6 the mounting is shown as being supported on the left end of a desk or table 48; in Fig. '7 it is shown as being supported on the right end of the same object; and in Fig. 8 it is shown as being supported on a wall 49. It is to be noted that in each of the three cases the finger wheel faces toward the position which the user will normally occupy, and, in the first two cases, the switchhook extends outward from the front of the desk so that the hand set is within easy reach of a person sitting at the desk. As pointed out previously, this is accomplished by providing means whereby the housing I!) may be mounted in either of two positions and the supporting member I6 and the elements supported thereby may be mounted in either of two'positions within the housing III. The adapting of the mounting for support on a wall is rendered possible by providing means whereby the pedestal 26 may be supported in either of two positions on the cover plate I I. In the first position, as shown in Fig. 6, the right side of the housing is affixed to the left end of the desk by means comprising a strap 45 and screws 46 and 41. When the mounting is to be supported in this manner, the switchhook I! is properly oriented with respect to the finger wheel 21 by mounting the supporting member I6 within the housing I 0 in the manner shown in Fig. l, i. e., by utilizing the pair of lugs 36 for attaching the supporting member I6 to the plate II, and by utilizing the tapped drill holes 4| for supporting the pedestal 26 on the plate I I.

With the elements arranged in this manner and in order to adapt the mounting for support from the wall 49, the position of the pedestal 26 relative to the cover plate II is changed by utilizing the tapped drill holes 40 for attaching the pedestal 26 to the plate II. This corresponds to a forty-five degree counterclockwise rotation of the pedestal relative to the plate II from the position shown in Fig. 6. In'this case the strap 45 is mounted on the side of the housing I9 opposite that utilized in the support of the mounting as shown in Fig; 6.

With the elements arranged as shown in Figs. 1 and 6 and in order to adapt the mounting for support on the right end of the desk 48, the strap 45 is attached to the lower side, as shown in Fig. 6, of the housing II This corresponds to a ninety degree clockwise rotation of the housing from the position shown in Fig. 6, and orients the finger wheel 21 in a position facing the normal position of a person sitting at the desk without relative movement between the pedestal 26 and the housing 10. In order to accomplish this change in the position of the finger wheel 21 while maintaining the switchhook I7 extending outwardly from the front of the desk, the supporting member I6 and the elements mounted thereon are rotated from the position shown in Fig. l ninety degrees in a clockwise direction relative to the housing I0 and the plate II and the lugs 31 are utilized for securing the supporting 'member Hi to the plate I I. Thus the plate I l and the dial mechanism carried thereby occupy the same position with respect to the housing l when the housing Iii is mounted on either the left-hand end or the right-hand end of the desk 48. It should be noted that a second slot, similar to the slot '20, is provided in the right side of the housing I0, as shown in Fig. 6, for accommodating the shank of the switchhook I? when the mounting is supported in the manner shown in Fig. '7. This slot is indicated in Fig. 4 at 20'. The one of the two slots 20 or 20' which is not in use may be closed by a cap, not shown, suitably shaped to fit within the slot, thereby to prevent dirt and moisture from entering the housing Hi. It is further noted that three sides of the housing ID, corresponding respectively to the three mounting positions shown, are drilled and tapped to accommodate the mounting screws 41. The ones of these drill holes which are not used may be plugged by dummy screws 58.

In order to facilitate the transmission of sound from the signal device l2 exteriorly of the housing I G, the cover plate H is so arranged relative to the housing that, when secured in place, concealed apertures are provided through which sound may travel. Thus the plate H is provided with a flange 5! which is adapted to enclose the outer edge of the open end of the housing It, and with projecting bearing surfaces 52, shown more particularly in Fig. 5, for engaging the corners formed by the intersecting flat sides of the housing. As shown in Fig. 4, in between the four corners of the housing, the edge of the open end thereof is undercut as indicated at 53. The inner surface 54 of the flange 51 is tapered outwardly so that openings exist between the sides of the housing It and the inner surface of the flange 54. The cut-out sections 53 along the edges of the open end of the housing are concealed by making the flange 5| of sufficient depth that the lower edge thereof extends below the edges of these sections. By the above described arrangement a sound transmission path is provided while the elements within the housing H) are protected from dust and moisture.

While there has been described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that various modifications may be made in the structure thereof, and it is contemplated in the appended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a mounting for telephone hand sets, a housing, a dial mechanism supported by said housing, said housing being adapted to be mounted in either of two positions corresponding to the two ends of a desk or table, said dial mechanism occupying the same position with respect to said housing when said housing is mounted in either one of said positions, switching mechanism within said housing, said switching mechanism including a switchhook adapted to extend outside said housing, and means for supporting said switching mechanism within said housing in either of two positions such that said switchhook is adapted to extend in the same direction when said housing is mounted in either one of said two positions.

2. In a mounting for a telephone hand set, a housing, a dial mechanism supported by said housing, said housing being adapted to be supported in either of two positions corresponding to the two ends of a desk or table, said dial mechanism occupying the same position with respect to said housing when said housing is supported in either one of said positions, switching mechanism within said housing and including a switchhook adapted to extend outside said housing, means for supporting said switching mechanism within said housing in one position such that said switchhook extends in a predetermined direction when said housing is supported in one of its two positions, and means for supporting said switching mechanism within said housing in a second position such that said switchhook extends in said predetermined direction when said housing is supported in the other of its two positions.

3. In a mounting for a telephone hand set, a housing having a longitudinal axis and an open end, a plate for covering said open end, a dial mechanism including a finger wheel, means for mounting said mechanism on said plate, said housing being adapted to be supported on a desk or table in either of two positions corresponding to the two ends of a desk or table, one of said positions corresponding to substantially a right angle displacement of the sides of said housing about said longitudinal axis relative to the other position, whereby said finger Wheel is made to face toward a person sitting at the desk or table. irrespective of which end of the desk or table upon which the housing is supported, said dial mechanism occupying the same position with respect to said housing when said housing is supported in either one of said positions, switching mechanism supported within said housing, said switching mechanism including a switchhook adapted to extend outside said housing, and means for supporting said switching mechanism in either of two positions such that said switchhook is adapted to extend in the same direction when said mechanism is supported in either one of said two positions.

4. In a mounting for a telephone hand set, a housing having a longitudinal axis and an open end, a plate for covering said open end, a dial mechanism including a finger wheel, means for mounting said mechanism on said plate, said housing being adapted to be supported on a desk or table in either of two positions corresponding to the two ends of the desk or table, one of said positions corresponding to substantially a right angle displacement of the sides of said housing about said longitudinal axis relative to the other position, whereby said finger wheel is made to face toward a person sitting at the desk or table irrespective of which end of the desk or table upon which the housing is supported, said dial mechanism occupying the same position with respect to said housing when said housing is supported in either one of said positions, switching mechanism supported within said housing, said switching mechanism including a switchhook adapted to extend outside said housing, and means for supporting said switching mechanism in either of two positions such that said switchhook is adapted to extend in the same direction when said housing is supported in either one of said two positions, said mounting means for said dial mechanism including means for supporting the dial mechanism on said plate in either of two positions, whereby said housing is adapted to be supported on a wall with said finger wheel facing outward therefrom.

5. In a mounting for a telephone hand set, a housing having a longitudinal axis and an open end, a plate for covering said open end, a dial mechanism including'a finger wheel, means for mounting said mechanism on said plate, said housing'being adapted to be supported on a desk or table in either of two positions corresponding to the two ends of the desk or table, one-of said positions corresponding to substantially a right angle displacement of the sides of said housing about said longitudinal axis relative to the other position, whereby said finger wheel is 'made to face toward a person sitting at the desk or table irrespective of which end of the desk or table upon which the mounting is supported, said dial mechanism occupying the same position with respect to said housing when said housing is supported in either one of said positions, a supporting member within said casing, switching mechanism mounted on said member,

said switching mechanism including a switchhook adapted to extend outside said housing, and means comprising lugs depending from said plate for attaching said member to said plate in either of two relatively displaced positions such that said switchhook is adapted to extend in the same direction when said housing is supported in either one of said positions.

6. In a mounting for a telephone hand set, a housing open at one end, a plate for closing the open end of said housing, an audible signal device supported within and enclosed by said housing, and means for securing said plate in place over the open end of said housing, said plate and said housing being so constructed and arranged that concealed apertures are provided for the ready transmission of 0 sound from said signal device exteriorly of said housing when said plate is 'positioned'over the open end of said housing.

'7. In a mounting for a telephone hand set, a housing open at one end, a cover plate for closing the open end of said housing, an audible signal device supported within and enclosed by said housing, and means for securing said plate in place over the open end of said housing, said plate being provided with a flange having an inner surface displaced from and enclosing the outer edge of the open end of said housing and spaced projections extending from said flange in engagement with the edge of said housing and the edge of said housing being undercut between the points of engagement between said projections and said edge, whereby concealed apertures are provided for the ready transmission of sound from said signal device exteriorly of said housing.

8. In a mounting for a telephone hand set, a housing open at one end, said housing having a plurality of substantially fiat sides, a cover plate for closing the open end of said housing, an audible signal device supported within and enclosed by said housing, and means for securing said plate in place over the open end of said housing, said plate being provided with a flange having an inner surface displaced from and enclosing the outer edge of the open end of said housing and spaced projections extending therefrom so arranged as to engage the edge of said housing at the corners formed by the intersection of said flat sides and the edge of said housing being undercut between the corners thereof, whereby concealed apertures are provided for the ready transmission of sound from said signal device exteriorly of said housing.

9. In a mounting for a telephone hand set, a

dial mechanism including-a casing, abracket secured to and extending from said casing, a pedestal for supporting said mechanism, said pedestal having an'open cavity therein for accommodating said, casing, whereby said casing may be inserted into the cavity in said pedestal, guide members extending from the inner surface of the cavity in said pedestal and adapted to be engaged by said bracket as said casing is inserted into the cavity in said pedestal thereby properly to position the dial mechanism, and means for securing said bracket to said pedestal.

10. In a mounting for a telephone hand set, a'

dial mechanism includinga casing, a bracket secured to and extending from said casing, a pedestal for supporting said mechanism, said pedestal having an open cup-shaped cavity therein for accommodating said casing, whereby said casing may be inserted into the cavity in said pedestal, guide ridges integral with said pedestal and extending from the inner surface of the cavity therein, said ridges being adapted to be engaged by said bracket as said casing is inserted into the cavity in said pedestal thereby properly to position the dial mechanism, and means for securing said bracket to said pedestal.

11. A mounting for telephone hand sets comprising a housing having an open end and two spaced-apart openings therein, a supporting member arranged in said housing, switching mechanism arranged in said housing and car'- ried by said supporting member, said switching mechanism including a switchhook adapted to extend through either one of the openings'in said housing, a plate for covering the open 'end' of said housing, a dial mechanism carried by said plate, and means for attaching said supporting memberto said plate'in either of two displaced positions with respect to said plate and to said housing, said switchhook being arranged to extend through one of the openings. in said housing when said supporting'member is attached to said plate in one of the positions and to extend through the other of the openings in said housing when said supporting member is attached to said plate in the other of the positions.

12. A mounting for telephone hand sets and the associated substation equipment comprising a housing having an open end and two spacedapart openings therein, a supporting member arranged in said housing and adapted to carry all oithe substation equipment, said supporting member and all of the substation equipment carried thereby being removable as a unit through the open end of said housing, a switching mechanism carried by said supporting member and including a switchhook arranged to extend through either one of the openings in said housing, a plate for covering the open end of said housing, a dial mechanism carried by said plate, and means for attaching said supporting member to said plate in either of two displaced positions, said switchhook being arranged to extend through one of the openings in said housing when said sup-porting member is attached to said plate in one of the positions and to extend through the other of the openings in said housing when said supporting member is attached to said plate in the other of the positions.

HERBERT F. OBERGFELL.

. CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,152,L 9L March 28, 19 9.

w HERBERT F'. OBERGFELLT It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page L sec ond column, line 6b., claim 12, after the syllable "tions" and before the comma insert the words with respect to said plate and to said housing; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conformto the record of the case inthe Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 16th day of May, A. D. 1959.

Henry Van Arsdale (seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

